Cessna 182Q accident near San Diego, California, May 17, 2002
On May 17, 2002 at about 1:24 am local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N9031U, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to apply continuous brake pressure. Sun glare is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2002 · about 1:24 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N9031U · registry record · serial 18265445
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The plane overran the runway after making a full-stop landing. The pilot was intending to do touch-and-go landings, but decided to make his landing a full-stop due to the glare from the sun. After he touched down, the glare from the sun was so intense he had to move up in the seat, slipping his feet off the rudder pedals. He couldn't stop the airplane and ran off the end of the runway into a light pole.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 843 hours in all; 411 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 14, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,717 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2002; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 280, 4,577 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:24 am from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX02LA165.